Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Hormonal Decay After Death: Evaluating Dhea-S As A Potential Molecular Marker For Postmortem Estimation, Marisa Lydia Novak

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Post-mortem interval (PMI) estimation is a central component of forensic anthropological investigation, but traditional methods for estimating time since death lose accuracy after ~72 hours. Recent research indicates that some steroid hormones may undergo predictable degradation patterns after death, offering potential use as biochemical clocks for PMI estimation beyond this threshold. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and its sulfate form (DHEA-S) are of particular interest due to their metabolic stability, systemic influence, and association with trauma. This study investigates whether DHEA-S hormonal degradation patterns correlate with time elapsed since death and body temperature, evaluating their potential as biochemical PMI markers. 160 mL of …

“Democracy,” Usa, Marc Edelman

Publications and Research

What does it mean to be an effective citizen in a democracy? Answering this question requires unpacking “democracy” and an analysis of institutions that systematically disempower and alienate citizens. This paper briefly examines the contributions of psychoanalysis to understanding democracy and authoritarianism. It scrutinizes U.S. governance institutions and points to democratic deficits and backsliding present even before Trump 1.0 and 2.0. These range from the Electoral College, the Senate, and the Supreme Court to the Federal Communications Commission. All contributed to institutionalizing minority rule and elite capture. Governance institutions failed to deliver what the American people tell opinion pollsters they …

Unveiling Legacies: Exploring And Analyzing Cultural Artifacts In The Higbee Collection, Samantha Staller

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Anthropology and the Cummings Center to find ways to properly analyze an archaeological collection's artifacts to understand the overall significance of everything better. Before starting my research, I came up with the following questions: Can any artifacts be considered culturally affiliated? Is everything in the collection authentic? What is the overall background of the collection? Does this collection have any connection to Ohio history? Can anything in the collection be dated? Throughout the research, I will create an Excel inventory list to include qualitative and quantitative data from the artifacts to give insight into what is included in the Higbee …

“We Just Go With The Flow”: Healthcare Providers As Secondary Impacted Subjects In Informal Refugee Healthcare Provision In Indonesia, Realisa D. Masardi, Elan Lazuardi

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

With prolonged transit times, refugees’ right to health in Indonesia has become an urgent issue. This article asks how healthcare providers are positioned within Indonesia’s ambiguous refugee health provision regime. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork, this study moves beyond a legalistic analysis of refugee health rights by foregrounding the precarious positions of healthcare providers themselves. We examine Presidential Regulation 125/2016 as well as state and non-state actors’ views on what are often described as structural barriers in improving refugees’ rights. We argue that conditions of informality, which both arise from and perpetuate institutional ambiguity, systematically undermine refugees’ right to health while …

Climate Planning, Energy Sovereignty, And Electric Vehicle Perceptions Among Michigan’S Tribal Nations, Alexis Belle Tater

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Climate change will especially impact marginalized communities and communities with less government support for funding climate adaptation actions. The first chapter of this report focuses on climate change responses, specifically Tribal Nations in the state of Michigan. In the current U.S. context, funding for large climate change mitigation and adaptation projects in Tribal Nations can be achieved through federal funding from the CPRG (Climate Pollution Reduction Grant), which requires an established PCAP (Priority Climate Action Plans) to guide decision making in alignment with identified priorities. I discuss the importance of Tribal sovereignty, the potential implications of its inclusion and exclusion …

From Conscientious French Canadian To Enterprising American: Making Memory & Measuring Social Mobility Of French Canadians 1880-1940, Brooke S. Schwaderer

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This thesis studies the social mobility of French-Canadian immigrants to the Keweenaw Peninsula 1880-1940 and memory among their descendants to explain how French-Canadian culture in the Keweenaw faded over time. Oral histories were conducted to gain an understanding of the current French-Canadian culture in the Keweenaw, understand how the current generation perceives changes in culture over time, and provide possible explanations for why French-Canadians thrived in the Keweenaw. Tax records from the Michigan Technological University Archives and social mobility scores, mother tongue, and homeownership information from the United States census was analyzed to measure language loss, and the social mobility …

Comparative Semiotic Analysis Of Non-Verbal Communication: Apis Mellifera Waggle Dance And Human Kinesic Signaling Systems, Nishtha Tikalal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

There are many parallels between two seemingly disparate forms of non-verbal communication: the waggle dance of Apis mellifera (honeybees) and human kinesic signaling systems. Through a comparative semiotic analysis, this research aims to conduct a comparative semiotic analysis, investigating structural and functional similarities between these communication methods, challenging anthropocentric assumptions about meaning making in the natural world. This research employs a meta-synthesis approach, drawn from a methodological literature review to examine historical representations of bee-human relationships, semiotics of non-verbal communication, and the specific mechanisms of the waggle dance and human kinesics. This methodology involves systematic categorization and analysis of extracted …

Tools And Trends: An Analysis Of Maya Dental Modification, Channing M. Cook

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The ancient Maya practiced dental modification, intentionally filing, incising, and inlaying stones into the front teeth, potentially to display identity and status. The literature surrounding Maya dental modification tends to overlook mechanical aspects of the process, and many studies approach dental modification through limiting or destructive means. Optical microscopy presents an adaptable, cost-effective option for closer inquiry. Preliminary research suggests the process of dental modification leaves distinct patterns of tool use, depending on style, that can be identified through optical microscopy. The sample selected includes 25 incisors and canines from 14 Classic period Maya individuals from Altun Ha, representing 12 …

Heritage And Archaeological Knowledge Dissemination Strategies: A Kurd Qaburstan Case Study, Myli R. Sangria

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis addresses the long-standing absence of community archaeology initiatives in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq by designing and implementing a pilot public archaeology program at the site of Kurd Qaburstan, a large Middle Bronze Age city (ca. 1800 BCE) located on the Erbil Plain. In summer 2024, the author implemented a community archaeology activity designed as a first step toward sustained engagement with the village that partially overlaps the site. The program—a hands-on lesson in archaeological stratigraphy for K–5 students, followed by a guided site visit—was intentionally simple, affordable, and easy to carry out alongside ongoing fieldwork. The activity …

Florida’S Gifted Education Program: Exploring The Nexus Between Giftedness And Choice Of College Major, Sterlin L. Bass

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Florida’s Gifted Education Program (FGEP) is a K-12 educational program in Florida’s public education system through which gifted students are identified and supported through individualized educational plans promoting intellectual development. The intent of this study is to explore the influence Florida’s Gifted Education Program has on the choice of major of a student and mental health outcomes. Current data revolving around different definitions of “giftedness” such as high ACT scores, SAT scores, and GPA, show a connection between negative mental health outcomes produced by the development of perfectionism. FGEP presents challenges in addressing these concerns due to non-standardized curricula across …

A Systematic Review Of Dietary Trends, Influencing Factors, And Their Impacts On Cardiovascular Health In Turkish Populations, Pelin L. Özoğlu

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally, including in Türkiye. One key factor influencing CVD prevention is dietary patterns, which directly impacts cardiovascular health. Türkiye traditionally follows the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), which is acclaimed for its cardiovascular benefits. Despite this, Türkiye continues to experience high rates of CVD, with projections indicating that CVD mortality will double for both men and women by 2030. It is crucial to address diet-related factors, including potential nutritional deficiencies, to reduce cardiovascular health risks.

This research aims to analyze the Turkish community's adherence to the Mediterranean diet to understand why CVD prevalence …

Role Of C4 Resources In Isotopic Variability In Diet Among Children From Kellis 2 Cemetery, Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, Faith R. Hendrix

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Using stable carbon isotope analysis, this study investigates dietary diversity in children buried at the Kellis 2 Cemetery (c. AD 50–450) in Egypt's Dakhleh Oasis. From the analysis of δ¹³C isotope values in hair keratin and bone collagen, the study reconstructs short-term and long-term dietary signals in juvenile and adult subjects. The aim is to clarify the role of C₄ plants—particularly millet—in weaning and childhood diets in a Romano-Christian Egyptian village context. A total of 631 segmented hair and 54 bone collagen samples were analyzed from 127 juveniles and 97 adults. Juvenile individuals (i.e., under 15 years biological age) showed …

Starch Analysis Of Shell Tools From The Penny Plot Site (8br158) For The Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project, Alaina Waldo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Shell tools have a history of being used in the processing and usage of plant foods and materials in past cultures. This study looks at starch residue analysis obtained from shell tools retrieved at site 8BR158 during excavations by the Cape Canaveral Archaeological Mitigation Project (CCAMP) in Cape Canaveral, Florida. This research hopes to expand the understanding and usage of shell tools and to gain a clearer picture of plant usage and environmental interactions of earlier inhabitants along the East Coast of Florida through starch grain analysis. Eleven shell tools were analyzed for starch residues, with six showing evidence of …

On The Use Of Dental Microwear Texture Analysis To Determine Aetiology And Assess Wear Of Dental Tissues For Clinical Evaluation, Peter Ungar, Anderson T. Hara

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Here, we present and synthesise some recent collaborative efforts in our laboratories to establish protocols for using dental microwear texture analysis, originally developed to reconstruct diets of fossil mammals and to aid in the clinical assessment of dental patients today. The idea is to propose a method where polyvinylsiloxane impressions, as used in many dental practices, can be combined with surface texture analysis for a rapid, non-invasive, and inexpensive approach to detect and monitor the progression of tooth wear at fine scales over short durations and help determine causal agents of dental tissue loss. We employed both in vitro experimentation …

Archaeoparasitology Of The Colorado Plateau, Karl J. Reinhard, Morgana Caacho

Karl Reinhard Publications

Archaeoparasitology has been conducted in the Southwest for 57 years. In the first decade of the period, two pictures of parasitism emerged. Analysis of compressed organic sediments from a latrine at Elden Pueblo presented a spectrum of geohelminths not different from medieval Europe. These findings contrast pronouncedly with an analysis of coprolites from all other studies that show consistent pinworm parasitism at other sites in the Southwest. We summarize the paleoepidemiological bases for these contrasting phenomena.

The Impact Of Whiteness Among Black College Students' Racial Identity, La'quida Reneé Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Although the impact of racism is well-documented in both conceptual and empirical research on the experiences of Black college students, some scholars have pointed out that many of the negative, race-based experiences these students face on college campuses extend beyond overt acts of racism (e.g., individual racism, institutional racism; Gusa, 2010; Hargons et al., 2022; Ingram & Wallace, 2019; Le et al., 2020; Smith et al., 2011; Tyler et al., 2022). Whiteness has been identified as an overt factor shaping the lived experiences of Black individuals (Leonardo, 2009; Matias, 2016; Tyler et al., 2022) and is, therefore, believed to impact …

People Of The Ogeechee: Subsistence And Landscape Use In The Late Archaic Ogeechee River Valley, Caleb R. Jeck

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Precontact life in the Ogeechee River valley of Georgia’s Coastal Plain is significantly understudied in contrast to the adjacent Savannah River valley and the coast of Georgia. Research in these regions has provided a substantial amount of archaeological data that has helped us to understand Late Archaic period dynamics and the settlement patterns of precontact people, primarily those associated with Stallings culture. The Ogeechee River valley figured prominently during the Late Archaic period, especially during Classic Stallings times, yet the region’s archaeological record is largely unexamined. Settlement patterns for coastal Georgia and the middle Savannah River valley have been proposed …

A New Application Of The Coimbra Method On Cranial Entheseal Changes, Emily Marie Carlo

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Age-Associated Alterations In Immune And Inflammatory Responses In Captive Olive Baboons (Papio Anubis), Michele M. Mulholland, Bharti P. Nehete, Ashley Delise, Angela M. Achorn, Lisa M. Pytka, Pramod N. Nehete

Anthropology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Advanced age is a primary risk factor for many chronic diseases and conditions; however, age-related immune dysregulation is not well understood. Animal models, particularly those that resemble human age-related physiological changes, are needed to better understand immunosenescence and to improve health outcomes. Here, we explore the utility of the olive baboon (Papio anubis) in studying age-related changes to the immune system and understanding mechanisms of immunosenescence.

Methods: We examined immune cell, inflammatory responses, cytokines, and cortisol levels using hematology and flow cytometry, mitogen stimulation, multiplex cytokine assay, and cortisol immunoassay.

Results and Discussion: Our results reveal significant age effects …

Investigating The Impact Of Phthalate Exposures From Personal Care Products On Uterine Fibroid Incidence And Prevalence In Us-Born Black Women, Ella Brissett

CMC Senior Theses

Uterine fibroids are benign tumors composed of smooth muscle cells and connective tissue that develop within or on the walls of the uterus. Despite being non-cancerous, they can severely affect quality of life by causing heavy bleeding, chronic pain, and reproductive complications. Fibroids are typically found in women of reproductive age, but they disproportionately affect Black women, who experience higher incidence and severity. The underlying causes of this disparity is poorly understood; however, an emerging body of research is highlighting the role of phthalates, endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in many personal care products, in exacerbating fibroid development. Through a critical analysis …

A Cadaver Story: Relationality In The Anatomy Laboratory, Stephanie Teasley

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Cadavers in the human anatomy laboratory occupy a liminal social space, a circumstance that presents a variety of challenges for anatomy students. Cadavers are intended to be scientific objects for study, but their human status makes dissection uniquely challenging. Many of the obstacles to working in the laboratory result from discomfort experienced at the thought of cutting a person (i.e. a social being). In this project, I use ‘cadaver’ to indicate a category of being created in and for the anatomy laboratory. This is distinct from the more general ‘dead body’ in that the category cadaver enables emotional distance and …

An Introduction To Cultural Anthropology: What Does Anthropology Offer The Current World?, Kristina Baines, Victoria Costa, Baird Campbell

Open Educational Resources

This Open Educational Resource (OER) is designed to be used as a textbook to accompany an introductory course in Cultural Anthropology. The chapters can, however, stand alone or be expanded and be used in courses with units on Medical Anthropology, Ethnographic Methods, Race and Gender Studies, Climate and Environmental Anthropology and others. Please feel free to use all or part of the textbook and supplemental materials provided. This resource is published under a creative commons license. Use and modify as you wish for non-commercial use only with attribution to Cool Anthropology.

Audit Culture And A Nonprofit In Northern Illinois, Onyenum Ruth Udoh

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Audit culture has become a defining feature of nonprofit life, shaping how organizations balance accountability to donors with responsibility to their communities. While existing scholarship often highlights large or international NGOs, less is known about how small and mid-sized nonprofits in the United States experience these pressures. This study focused on nonprofit in DeKalb County, Illinois, to examine how audits, donor restrictions, and accountability demands influence nonprofit practices, priorities, and relationships with their communities. Grounded in ethnographic fieldwork and organizational anthropology, I conducted eight weeks of participant observation and semi-structured interviews with seven staff across leadership, finance, program, and administrative …

Tackling Paradoxes And Double Binds For A Healthier Workplace: Insights From The Early Covid-19 Responses In Quebec And Ontario, Daniel Côté, Amelia León, Ai-Thuy Huynh, Jessica Dubé, Ellen Maceachen, Pamela Hopwood, Marie Laberge, Samantha Meyer, Meghan K. Crouch, Joyceline Amoako

Études primaires

The urgency of managing the COVID-19 health crisis in workplaces led to tensions, work overload, and confusion about preventive measures. This study presents a secondary analysis of qualitative data on paradoxes and double binds (PDBs) experienced by precarious essential workers in Canada who interacted with the public and their supervisors. Based on 13 interviews from a larger qualitative dataset, we examine how workers navigated public health recommendations and organisational demands during the pandemic. Findings reveal multiple organisational and managerial PDBs—both COVID-19-related and pre-existing—that contributed to psychological distress and compromised well-being. We argue that PDBs represent a significant occupational health hazard …

On Creating Bog Bodies: The Effects Of Ph Value On Dna Decomposition In A Bog Environment, Gabrielle B. Giangreco

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Bog bodies have been a consistent area of interest in both archaeology and biological anthropology, due to their high rates of physical preservation. While there are many physical analyses that have been done on these remains, DNA analysis is lacking. Most studies focus on changes to the remains themselves or attempt to determine why they were placed in a bog. This study aims to examine the effects of pH level on the breakdown of DNA on remains placed inside a bog along with any larger differences in the preservation of the remains. The results of this study seem to point …

Organizational And Structural Factors In Building The Therapeutic Alliance In A Work Rehabilitation Program With Injured Immigrant Workers In Quebec, Daniel Côté, Maude Arsenault, Jessica Dubé

Études primaires

Abstract

The therapeutic alliance is central to occupational rehabilitation, particularly for immigrant workers who face unique challenges of migration and of social and occupational integration. This study explores the development and maintenance of this alliance between immigrant workers with compensated work injuries and their care providers during work rehabilitation. Using ethnography, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, the qualitative case study involved 7 injured immigrant workers and their interdisciplinary clinical team. The study identified several factors that weakened the alliance, including administrative complexity, conflicting views on pain and disability, cultural stereotypes, and interorganizational communication issues. Many of these challenges were systemic …

Cultural Model Of Indigenous Custom Marriage, Maria G. Stapleton

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This thesis examines and documents the tradition of Indigenous Custom Marriage (ICM) practiced in a semi-rural community in central Mexico. The arrival of Spaniards to Mesoamerica during the sixteenth century brought new forms of marriage to the region, those of the Christian religion and of the Spanish crown’s laws. While these new forms slowly gained acceptance, the traditional pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican form of getting married has endured over the intervening centuries up through the present. This traditional form of marriage is not monolithic, but shows variation across the diverse ethnic groups, communities, and geographic regions of Mesoamerica. The community studied, Tlanalapa, …

Learning Through Following: The Role Of Social Foraging In Juvenile Saddleback Tamarin (Leontocebus Weddelli Weddelli) Development In The Department Of Pando, Bolivia, Meghan E.F. Hanson

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Across the primate order, the juvenile stage is an important period of development that transitions individuals from infancy to adulthood. During the juvenile stage, individuals are weaned but lack experience feeding and foraging on solid foods. As a result, juveniles must learn foraging and feeding skills during this vital period of growth and development. The purpose of this study is to assess how juvenile saddleback tamarins (Leontocebus weddelli) gain foraging and food manipulation skills. During this study, I observed feeding behaviors in a group containing two juveniles and four adults, located at the Estación Biológica Tahuamanu in the Department of …

Insect Foraging Behaviors Across Habitat Types In Weddell’S Saddle-Back Tamarins, (Leontocebus Weddelli Weddelli) In Pando, Bolivia, Brianna Nicole Abba

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Researchers assume that small-bodied primates like the callitrichines are highly adaptable to environmental change and can increase their consumption of insects in disturbed habitats, however, these assumptions have rarely been tested. To better understand how habitat and other factors may influence the frequency of insect foraging, the type of prey capture techniques used, and prey capture success, I collected detailed observational data on one group of Weddell’s saddle-back tamarins (Leontocebus weddelli weddelli) in northwestern Bolivia in July and August 2022. I found that tamarins spent 62% of their total foraging and feeding time on insects. They spent 89% of their …

It's Not The Fault Of The Parrot, But Of The One Who Teaches Him To Talk: Understanding Identities And Relationships Of An Educational Ngo In Guatemala, Brittany Rebecca Blomquist

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Guatemala is an economically poor country, with a rich culture that makes it a destination for foreign assistance through non-governmental agencies (NGOs) and tourism. The history of conflict and foreign economic development within the country has created a dichotomy of identities, divided across economic wealth, ethnicity, and urban/rural landscapes. NGOs, their presence as transnational actors, and their organizational identities augment the identities present within the spaces in which NGOs work. Additionally, these identities are fluid and relational. I argue that the identities and relationships that form within the NGO space are reflective of NGO work and development structures. The identities …